As you know, since the expensive development of the 9-3ss, GM tried to take control of the management and costs of Saab and all the projects were in stand by since new orders, the product development program was cancelled since this year that GM aproved.
The 9-3x uses the Epsilon platform, and is an AWD car, with Haldex AWD system. In 2000 Saab anounced that Haldez will be the supplier for AWD systems. The 9-3x uses a 80% of parts ready for production, but GM didn't see enough scale economics, it was quite stupid because they didn't take care about the capability of increase the profitability of the 9-3ss project and giving more scale economics using more 9-3ss parts and technology, also it happens with the 9x, that didn't use an Epsilon platform, but can be adapted for using it, about the 80% of parts were ready for production.
Then GM said that the Trollhattan plant were only working at the 55% of its capacity........its just stupid to say that, if the same GM didn't give the opportunity to Saab to increase the profitability of the plant and the biggest investment in the history of the brand in Trollhattan that increased the capacity of the factory over 250000units per year, but it has no chance to increase the production over 130000 units, then its easy that the percentage of usage of the plant don't increase over 55% and the projects hasn't scale economics if you don't use sinergies with other GM products.
Take a look at BMW, they make profitability thanks to its internal sinergies. That's why BMW has more profitable projects and don't need a lot of collaboration from other companies. One, its internal sinergies, and second the cash from Quandt family.
Saab hasn't any chance to mantain its identity when the Wallenberg sold its shares and wouldn't like to apply and mantain the Saab identity.....GM only make what it knows, to absorb what they want...
from NY times article.....
A former Saab executive who was at the company when General Motors first took over has suggested that Saab’s failure to retain its identity is not so much the fault of G.M. as of the Wallenberg family. The former majority owners of Saab, the Wallenbergs agreed to sell G.M a half interest with the clear understanding that they and their minions would be abdicating any meaningful further role in Saab’s future.
“When they sold it, they should have insisted on input, using their executives and remaining true to the company’s ideals,” this executive said. “But they rolled over and said, ‘You run it.’ G.M.’s got its problems, but it’s the Swedes’ fault. They gave away their heritage. General Motors is just doing what they know how to do, the way they know how to do it.”
The former Saab executive added that a “powerful industry watcher” told him at the time: “ ‘You know what a Ghia badge looks like on the side of a Ford? That’s what’s going to happen to Saab.’ I’ve carried that thought for almost the last 15 years and I’m sorry to have to say, at the end of the day, he was right.”
